The large yellow "flower" of the
dandelion is actually a head of many small flowers. Photos
above show the head and the set of green bracts beneath
known individually as phyllaries and collectively
as the involucre. Each flower, if all goes well,
will develop into a small fruit known as an achene. The
fluffy structure (pappus) on the top of the achene provides
a means for the wind to carry it to a new site.